The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-10-13

lOECs duS- uOL d uOllhT HAS YcG D06HRSOT-
ruptly applied or expended. In every de-
partment, in the treasury, in the postoffice
department, in all the departments useless
and unnecessary clerks have been dis
charged; rigid economy and scrutiny have
been exercised in all the departments and
many millions Of dollars annually saved.
The administration of these departments
has been. as honest as it has been econ
omical. Since the Democrats secured con-
troll of the House Of Representatives, no
corrups jobs and extravagant appropria-
tions have passed Congress; no Credit Mo-
bilier steals; no railroad land grants; no
star route or other frauds; only one thief
has been detected; that was Harvey, the
forger. who was sent to the Penitentiary
in less time after his detection than it took
the Republicans 70 empanel jury to try
the murderer Guiteau.
Every dollar of the public debt that was
due, has been paid, and in a few DAYS
twenty millions of AZ and 4 per cent.
bonds not due will have been paid, saving
the people several millions in interest D
have thus mentioned a small part of the
splendid results made by a Democratic
President and Cabinet in power only two
years; with an opposition Senate to embar-
rass it. As safe, wise, honest, economi-
cal administration, that of Grover Cleve-
land is equal to the best this country
has ever had, and inferior to none. Even
Senator Sherman, in his Wilmington
speech, could net attack it; all he said
about it was, that it was not as had as it
was expected to be. He evidently meant
that it was not as bad as he and his par
tisans said it would be. The veteran
Simon Cameron on his return from Europe
r1nh COZ hoxy So -,
Washington now.
THE C VII SERVICE.
The civil service has been reformed by
discharging useless clerks in every depart
ment, at great saving in salaries without
detriment to the public service. This has
been done to the extent of several hundred
in the Treasury department. in the Pension
Office and in the Patent Office. Inthe In
dians Office the expenses have been de-
creased two millions year. In the Post
Office department the expenditure has been
decreased nearly two millions year in
the purchase of supplies, and the depart
ment will soon be self sustaining with the
reduction of postage to two cents; the peo-
pie receive their mails now from the hands
of Democratic postmasters with the same
regularity as before. Not a dollar has
been assessed on the clerks in the depart
.ment for election purposes.
PENSIONS.
wish to refer briefly to the operations
of the Pension Office, and the recent leeis-
lation by Congress on that subject. From
the late report of Gen. Black, the most
efficient Commissioner the country has
ever had, and the most extensive report
ever made by that office, l find that
there were at the close of the year 406 ,OO7
pensioners, classified as follows: 294, AS
army invalids, 85,010 army widows, minor
children and dependant relatives, 1921
navy invalids, 1878 navy widows, minor
children and dependent relatives, 1,O69
survivors Of the war of 1872, and IL 1881
widows of those who served in that war,
1903 survivors of the war with Mexico and
1896 widows of those who served in said
war, which latter class have been added to
the rolls pursuant to the act of Congress
approved January 20, 1887.
There were added to the rolls during the
year the names of IS, 1874 new pensioners,
and the names of 2,707 whose pensions had
been previously dropped were restored to
the rolls. making an aggregate of 81, ,901
pensioners added during the year.
/ also find that for the year ending June
Seth, 1887, the total number of orig
inal claims disposed Of were 67,086. The
total of all claims disposed of during that
year were 134, ,242. The highest number
disposed of under any Republican admin
istration was in 1884, 1852; aggregate of
all claims 101 ,3l3. Making thirty y-three
thousand more claims under Gen. Black
than in any one year before.
/ have here given the highest number Of
cases disposed of in any one year under a
Republican administrations and the highest
number under General Blacks administra-
ton. Now what has Congress done for the
soldiers? During the whole time the Re-
pubicans were in power they allowed the
widows of the soldiers eight dollars per
month. These pensions have been increased
to twelve. The pensions of those who were
manned in battle by the loss of an arm or
leg hayen been increased fifty eper
cent. and upwards. The President prompt
ly approved these bills. He also approved
more private pension bills than any two of
his Republican precedessors. 1t was a
Democratic House of Representatives that
originated and passed the arrearage pen
sion bill, which allowed the soldier PEN
sion from the date of the disability in
Cured. The President vetoed the depen-
dent pension bill which was loosely guard
ed and Grant vetoed or pocketed the
equalization bounty bill, SO the honors are
even on the vetoes. Now 1 put the ques-
tion to the soldiers. Take the arrearage
bill, the widows bill, the bill for increase
of pensions for the one armed and one
legged soldiers and the thousands of
private bills, and they will see more has
been done fer them in two years of Demo-
cratic rule than in twenty years of Republi-
can rule.
THE NAVY.
Secretary Whitney has begun the build
ing Of q Navy. During the last twenty
years of Republican administration they
expended nearly ninety millions of money
on the Navy and left the country with
scarcely vessel that was seaworthy. In